New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) held a special meeting to discuss key provisions of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, and review measures being undertaken for their implementation.The meeting focused on ensuring effective enforcement of the new rules, promoting segregation of waste at source and encouraging greater public participation in maintaining cleanliness across the city.During the session, councillors shared suggestions on four-way waste segregation, which is the mandatory separation of waste at source into wet (biodegradable), dry (recyclable), sanitary and domestic hazardous/special-care waste streams; promotion of a circular economy; registration of bulk waste generators (BWGs) and issues concerning sanitation workers.MCD chief engineer Ajay Agrawal briefed councillors on various provisions of the SWM Rules, 2026, including source segregation, scientific collection and processing of waste and the recycling and reuse of resources.“To implement this, there is a need for public awareness and behaviour-change campaigns to ensure compliance with the segregation norms,” Agrawal said.Officials said the new rules mandate the segregation of waste generated by households, institutions, markets and other establishments into four separate streams.MCD has prepared draft bye-laws under the SWM Rules, 2026, prescribing penalties for non-compliance. The bye-laws will be sent to Delhi govt for gazette notification after approval by the House.Deputy mayor Monika Pant, who chaired the meeting, said: “Elected representatives can play an important role in creating awareness about waste segregation and cleanliness in their respective wards by working together with citizens, RWAs, market associations, institutions and other stakeholders.”The rules also require urban local bodies to prepare a solid waste action plan within a year, based on a format prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board.Councillors also called for strengthening the registration and compliance mechanism for BWGs, improving waste collection systems and ensuring the safety and welfare of sanitation workers.However, the meeting was boycotted by councillors from AAP and Congress.Leader of Opposition in MCD Ankush Narang alleged that the special session was convened at short notice while AAP leaders and workers were participating in a protest at Jantar Mantar, leaving public representatives with little opportunity to raise issues or participate meaningfully in the discussion, prompting the party to boycott the session.Asked about the issue, Pant said the House meeting had been convened to discuss solid waste management, with a detailed discussion on the subject likely to be held at a later date.“Across the country, urban local bodies held sanitation-related programmes, and those interested participated. As for the allegation, AAP councillors were not present at last week’s House meeting despite advance notice. They arrived an hour-and-a-half later, only to create chaos,” she said.
